GUWAHATI, June 12: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reiterated that the state government will persist in deporting illegal immigrants, irrespective of whether their names appear in the National Register of Citizens (NRC). In a statement on Tuesday, he stressed that the process of deportation will continue as long as sufficient evidence is provided to label individuals as foreign nationals.

While acknowledging the practical challenges in managing the deportation of large numbers of undocumented migrants, Sarma affirmed that the government will push forward with the process. “Although it’s impossible to deport all illegal immigrants at once, we are committed to continuing the efforts,” he said. On the same day, he confirmed the deportation of 19 illegal immigrants.

The Chief Minister raised concerns about the credibility of the NRC, criticizing its execution. “The way the NRC was carried out in Assam has raised serious doubts, and it cannot solely be relied upon to determine citizenship,” Sarma stated.

The updated NRC list, which was released on August 31, 2019, under the supervision of the Supreme Court, excluded over 19 lakh individuals, yet the list has not been officially recognized by the Registrar General of India, rendering it legally void.

Sarma further explained that many people had unfairly managed to get their names listed in the NRC. “We have adopted a policy of deporting individuals if we are absolutely convinced that they are foreigners,” he added.

He also emphasized that a name in the NRC should not be seen as proof of legal citizenship. “I personally believe that being listed in the NRC is not sufficient to confirm that a person is not an illegal migrant,” he remarked.

The Chief Minister also referenced recent actions in which many individuals were detained and subsequently deported under suspicion of being illegal migrants. Some of these deportees returned after Bangladesh declined to accept them as citizens.

Sarma accused social activist Harsh Mander of influencing the NRC process in Assam. According to the CM, Mander had lived in Assam for two years, sending local youths abroad for education while allegedly encouraging them to manipulate the NRC.

During a special session of the Assam Legislative Assembly on June 9, Sarma announced that the state government would soon enforce the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, allowing district commissioners to identify and expel illegal immigrants.

Sarma also expressed support for the central government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census, seeing it as a positive move toward addressing the region’s demographic complexities.